RoanokeOutsideGetOutsideNewsletterphoto 
in this issue
Weekend Update
Pete's Pick
YMCA Kids Marathon
NAHBS features Roanoke Frame Builder
Recycle Old SKi Boots
Power Lighter Gear Review
Upcoming Events to Keep your Eye On
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WeekenD UpdaTE        
pete's picks                             
What's my recommendation?Pete Eshelman
  • Load up the car and get lost! We have some incredibly beautiful back roads around here. Click here for a list of some recommend routes to explore. I usually try to find a unique dining experience when we go exploring. Here are a few of my favorites:
    • Drive the Alleghany Highlands scenic drive and grab a bite to eat at The Company Store.
    • Rts. 311, 42, & 658 (Craig County) to the small town of Paint Bank. Have lunch at the Swinging Bridge Restaurant.
    • Rts. 43, 615, 621, & 606 through Botetourt County. Finish with a nice dinner at Pomegranate in Troutville.
    • Rts. 602, 640, 748, & 623 (Franklin County). Arrive at Edible Vibe between 11am-1pm on Saturday for some live music and great food.
    • Rts. 42, 635, 61, 40 & 730 (Giles County) to small community of Eggelston. Have the pizza at Palisades Cafe.
Got an idea? Send it to pete@roanoke.org

Get OUTSIDE!
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Pete Eshelman (friend me on Facebook)
Director of Outdoor Branding
Roanoke Regional Partnership
YMCA KIDS MARATHON        
The Blue Ridge Marathon is excited to announce a joint partnership with the Chick-fil-A YMCA Kids Marathon. The YMCA Kids Marathon is an opportunity for young runners + walkers + active youth in grades K-5 to participate in a marathon - modified just for kids!

BlueRidgeMarathon logo           YMCAChick-fil-A logos
 
The YMCA Kids Marathon is a non-timed and non-competitive event. By participating in this program, we hope to instill in each child a love and understanding of running and a chance to develop a healthy lifestyle when it is most important. Each young athlete will learn to set and achieve an attainable goal and enjoy the pride of accomplishment.

The YMCA is inviting all area elementary schools to build a team!
  •     Help keep kids engaged
  •     Offer opportunities to clock miles during physical education classes
Participants complete 25.2 miles on their own or with family, friends or classmates prior to race day. On Race Day (April 24) - with a team of volunteers cheering them on - all participants will complete the last mile together beginning at the Kirk Family YMCA; through the streets of downtown Roanoke (the roads will be closed to all traffic); and finishing at the Blue Ridge Marathon finish line behind the Taubman Museum. Each YMCA Kids Marathon participant will cross the same finish line as the elite athletes participating in the Blue Ridge Marathon later that morning.

In the hopes of encouraging team spirit, the t-shirts provided for Race Day will be color coded to represent each individual school.  For more information or tips for building a team visit the YMCA Kids Marathon website.

Note - The Blue Ridge Marathon is actively seeking volunteers. Please click here if you are interested.
NAHBS Bicycle Show Features Roanoke Frame Builder      Get Outside newsletter header
 The world's largest custom bicycle show, the Shimano North American Handmade Bicycle Show will be in Richmond, VA February 26-28. The show is dedicated to showcasing the talents of individuals around the world whose art form is the bicycle (take a quick peek at some of the bikes that will be on display). It is a meeting point for frame builders and consumers looking for custom-made bikes, for sharing ideas, and the promotion of a special industry with a rich history dating back to 1819. There will be more than 7000 attendees and over 150 exhibitors - one of which is Roanoke's own Six Eleven Bicycle Company.

Six Eleven Bicycle Company is the brainchild of Aaron Dykstra. Ask anyone who knows him and they'll agree that Aaron lives and breathes bicycling. Aaron's Roanoke roots are evident as the bike he will be sharing at the show is a high-end track bike themed after the Norfolk & Western 611 locomotive.

Aaron and Six Eleven Bicycle Company invite you to learn more about them and other custom-frame builders by attending the NAHBS February 26-28. If you can't make the show visit www.sixelevenbicycleco.com (still under construction) and schedule a time to meet Aaron and check out his frames. We've received numerous invites from local cyclists to join them at the show so we know the Roanoke contingency will be strong.

Best of luck Aaron!
Recycling old ski boots and other hard plastics     
Americans recycle more plastic than ever these days, but there are still plenty of items that are not accepted by municipalities, including many hard plastic items like ski boots.
Get Outside newsletter header
If such items are still usable, consider donating them to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army store, which can sell them and put the money earned toward housing and feeding those less fortunate. Another option would be to sell or give them to a second-hand sporting goods store, which might even give you trade-in credit toward an upgrade. If you can't find somewhere local, you can ship them to Colorado-based Boulder Ski Deals. The company accepts ski boots (along with skis, bindings, poles and snowboards) for recycling, donating usable equipment to charitable programs and shredding the rest for re-use in making new products.

The fact that it is so difficult to recycle hard plastic items is a growing issue as we all try to minimize our impact on the environment. Everyone involved with the lifecycle of a given item-from manufacturer to retailer to consumer-can share the blame when something ends up taking up precious space in a landfill instead of being recycled in one way or another. Concerned consumers should... Read the Rest of the Story Here>>>
Primus PowerLighter - Gear Review      Get Outside newsletter header
Designed as a pocket-sized torch, the Primus PowerLighter spits a flame said to reach 2,372 degrees Fahrenheit. That's as hot as lava.

The lighter, which uses isobutene/propane fuel, weighs 2.4 ounces when empty. To fill it, Primus sells a $14 adapter that connects to a standard stove fuel canister.

In my initial tests, it's hard to tell how full the lighter is or if it's truly being filled. The adapter is relatively easy to use though. My other initial issue: Primus claims it's wind resistant, but I can easily blow out the flame with a birthday-candle-strength breath from 8 inches away.

The PowerLighter is currently available for $17. www.primuscamping.com

-Ryan Dionne (ExploreItOutdoors.com)
Upcoming events to keep your eye oN                               
Visit The RoanokeOutside.com Calendar of Events for details on these upcoming events!
  • Weekly bike rides throughout Roanoke & NRV Valleys
  • Group Trainer Rides & Movies every Tuesday
  • Bedford MTX Championship Series Race #2 2/27
  • Explore Your Limits (5 & 10K) 3/6
  • 25th Annual Blacksburg Classic 10 miler & 5K 3/6
  • Montvale 5 & 10 Mile Trail Run 3/27
  • Susan G. Komen Greater Roanoke Race for the Cure 5K 4/10
  • ESPN Bassmasters Blue Ridge Brawl at SML 4/16-19
  • Mill Mountain Mayhem 10K 4/17
  • Blue Ridge Marathon (full & half) 4/24
  • Angels Race Triathlon 4/25
  • Smith Mountain Lake Triathlon - early May
  • Middle Mountain Momma mtn. bike race - 5/2
  • Gallop 4 the Greenways 5/8
  • Appalachian Power Festival 5K & 10K - mid May
  • Alleghany Highlands Triathlon - 5/22
  • Mountains of Misery - 5/30
  • Trail Nut 10K and Half Marathon 6/5
  • Fat Tire Frenzy & Bike Festival - 6/18-19
  • New River Valley Triathlon 7/11
Roanoke Regional Partnership

Roanoke Regional Partnership · 111 Franklin Plaza, Suite 333 · Roanoke, VA 24011
540.343.1550 X 104 · www.roanoke.org